James River Brewing Company - Fine Brews in a One Horse Town

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James River Brewing Company boasts the finest beers in town.  Not a hard feat for a one-horse town of 591 residents in Scottsville, Virginia.  But in my opinion, this craft brewery deserves recognition on a greater level for its quality of beers, friendliness of service, and the warm atmosphere of their tap room.

Let's start with the beers at James River Brewing Company (hereafter referred to as JRBC for short).  If you've read any of my other craft brewery reviews (or if you follow me on Instagram), you might have noticed that my brews of choice are very, shall we say, wheaty.  Some call it hefeweizen or witbier, but I call it liquid bread.  Smooth, comforting, and filling.  JRBC's Fluvanna Fluss transported me halfway across the globe to Germany.  It has a slight citrus tone in its aftertaste, which was nicely complemented with the addition of an orange to the glass, but the beer stands solidly on its own two feet, too.

What better way to celebrate a proposal #win at work than with #vacraftbeer?

A photo posted by Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (@thriftygypsy87) on Mar 24, 2015 at 3:24pm PDT

As you can see from my picture (which totally has my taste buds in a knot right now), the beer has a golden, slightly cloudy appearance, which is typical for a hefeweizen. European hefeweizens can be even cloudier in appearance, but the Fluvanna Fluss is the best American version I've tasted yet.

We stayed at JRBC for so long in one afternoon that they almost made us pay rent on our patio seats (just kidding!), but we had such a great time soaking up the early spring sun, letting our dogs be spoiled with dog treats from the manager, and swapping stories with a local whose small son climbed up on our laps like he belonged there.  It was an absolutely stellar afternoon in Scottsville, and one I hope to replicate there again soon.

Where's your favorite craft brewery?

Linking up for #TravelTuesday!

A Midday Brew at Midnight Brewery

Source: Midnight Brewery's Facebook

Birthday + Beer = Bliss

This past Saturday I confirmed the veracity of this formula with a visit to Midnight Brewery, a locally-owned and operated microbrewery in eastern Goochland County.  Although relatively young to the craft brewing scene, Midnight has already established a local reputation for flavorful, great-tasting beers, with two beers in particular - Not My Job, a Southern English Brown Ale, and Christmas at Midnight, a spiced ale - capturing my birthday taste buds. 

As we cozied up to the bar for a tasting, my attention was first drawn to the F.D.T., a Hefeweizen with a 5% alcohol content.  It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of wheat beers, and having recently returned from a two-week stint in Germany, I was eager to compare the F.D.T. with German Hefeweizens.

The F.D.T. did not disappoint, but it didn't blow me away either.  It had a golden, honey-colored tone and a good-sized head, which faded quickly.  Compared to a Paulaner Hefeweizen or Erdinger Weissbier, though, it wasn't cloudy enough and lacked a more vibrant wheat-punch.  The wheat was more of an accessory rather than principal flavor, making the F.D.T. light-tasting for a hefeweizen.  However, for a comfortably warm day, it was a refreshing summer brew, and I must admit I prefered Midnight's F.D.T. to Hardywood's HYPE wheat beer.

Two F.D.T.s, Christmas at Midnight, Not My
Job & Rockville Red!

Luckily, Midnight had more than just the F.D.T. on tap.  As my friend couldn't stop praising her Christmas at Midnight spiced ale, I opted for a taste... and was sold.  Featuring a warm, reddish-brown color with a fragrant scent of cinnamon, the Christmas at Midnight beer is a semi-sweet beer that's absolutely magical on a summer day, and probably equally so if paired with Christmas cookies on a snowy night! 

Finally, I stole a taste of Midnight's Southern English Brown Ale with the tongue-in-cheek moniker of "Not My Job."  The name is not the only intriguing thing about this beer, which is medium-bodied and drops hints of chocolate and coffee in every sip.  I've never gravitated towards dark beers, thinking they were all as thick and bitter as Guinness, so both Not My Job and the Christmas at Midnight beers surprised me - in a great way!

Enjoying the picnic table seating.

Midnight Brewery has all the trappings of a good micro-brewery: a solid and varying line-up of beers, a convenient location (just west of the ever-expanding Short Pump), and an owner and brewer passionate about producing quality beer.  Prices are average for the craft beer scene (hovering around $5 per cup), and food trucks make regular appearances on the weekends.  Midnight Brewery has already created quite a buzz within the community and was awarded the honor of concocting the official beer for this year's State Fair of Virginia: the Virginia Midway, touted as a wheat and pale malt beer and featuring local honey as an ingredient (you can read the Times-Dispatch article about it here).  With a move into a larger facility slotted to happen soon, the sky's the limit for Midnight Brewery, and I look forward to seeing what other tasty brews they create in the future.

F.D.T. (Hefeweizen): 3.5/5
Christmas at Midnight (spiced ale): 4/5
Not My Job (Southern English Brown Ale): 4/5
Price: $5-6 
Location:  Five minutes west of Short Pump off Ashland Road (Rockville exit on I-64).
Website:  www.Midnight-Brewery.com

Linking up with #SundayTraveler!

You Can't Spell Beer Without "Mekong"

Ok, so obviously that title isn't literally true, but if you've ever visited Mekong here in Richmond, you'll know what I mean.  For the second year in a row, Vietnamese restaurant Mekong (located near Broad and Staples Mill Road) has won the number one spot for "Great American Beer Bars" in the region and the nation.  This past weekend, I decided it was high time to find out what all the buzz was about Mekong.

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Situated in a strip mall-like building near Willow Lawn, the exterior is anything but impressive.  However, the interior is open and welcoming, with a rich-wood bar and plenty of high-top tables nearby.  And the beer selection is phenomenal!  Mekong boasts over 50 craft beers on tap and over 200 bottle offerings.  Beer director An Bui explains that at Mekong, "beer is the answer" -- and I would assert that they've provided a variety of answers from which to choose!  Even the pickiest of beer aficionados should be able to find something to their taste.  I sampled my friends' choices of a Singel, a sour beer, and a few others (including a spunkily-named PocaHOPtas beer!), but settled on the Allagash White, a traditional Belgian wheat ale, for myself.  Coupled with the most delicious spring rolls I have ever eaten, I was one happy chick!

Although craft beer has a reputation for being expensive, Mekong's prices were fairly reasonable, varying from $4 to $7 depending on serving size and bottle versus draft.  The food prices were also affordable; two spring rolls were only $1.50 and were served with an interesting sweet and sour sauce.

As I was designated driver, I was unable to sample or evaluate more beers than that, but I plan to return as soon as possible.  If you're ever in Richmond, I strongly encourage you to stop by for a beer and a meal!

Have you been to or heard about Mekong before?

Linking up with Friday Favorites hosted by Virginia Bloggers!

National Beer Day!

April 7th is National Beer Day here in the United States.  The date commemorates the first day it was legal to buy beer in 1933 after prohibition laws had halted legal sales in the 1920s and '30s.  In honor of this unofficial holiday, I've been reminiscing on a few of my favorite brews and where I've enjoyed them.

(c) Thrifty Gypsy

Ahhh, das Dinkelsbühler Kinderzechbier!  This beer is only served from May until August in honor of the Kinderzeche festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, in July.  If my taste buds remember correctly, this beer is fairly "light" in flavor, considering it's a wheat beer, with a somewhat fruity aftertaste.  I'll have to refresh my memory this July when we return for the Kinderzeche festival!   (Photo taken July 2010 on our honeymoon in Germany.)

(c) Thrifty Gypsy

Yes, another wheat beer!  (Are you sensing a pattern yet?)  This Paulaner Weiβbier was enjoyed in Füssen, Germany, in 2010, paired with Nürnberger brats, sauerkraut, fried potatoes and schnitzel, pom fritz, and beets.  Yum!

Calah and I at the Coors Brewery in Golden, CO.
Photo courtesy of Calah D.

In this picture I am enjoying a Batch 19 American lager from Coors Brewing Company at their factory in Golden, Colorado, on my visit in November 2013.  It was a little too bitter for me to enjoy on a regular basis, but nothing can compare to how it tasted on my visit to the brewery!

And finally, it's not quite a beer, but I enjoyed it so much that I have to share it...

(c) Thrifty Gypsy

Rekorderlig Strawberry-Lime cider.  Heaven in a bottle.  I savored this Swedish cider while in London this past February and fell in love.  Unfortunately, it's only available in New York and Miami for the time being.  In my opinion it tastes more like a malt drink (Smirnoff Ice, etc) than a cider, but I'm no aficionado.  All I can say is that it was amazing, and I've been craving it ever since.

What are your favorite brews and where have you enjoyed them?

Happy National Beer Day!

~ Just a Thrifty Gypsy